“I am grateful for the resources IW gave me. My case manager connected me to a vocational counselor, so I could have a resume and apply for jobs. She also helped me find a lawyer to process my green card. Today, I am working in a restaurant.”
Faith Heals
For one so young, Risa Dalos* holds an unshakeable belief in God, herself, and in the kindness of others.
“Faith was my anchor when I was lost and afraid,” she said, recounting her life as a runaway at 20 in 2021. “At my lowest, when hope was gone, the Lord protected me and gave me strength. He led me to the right path.”
And that is how Risa found a home at the Interfaith Works (IW) Empowerment Center and later the IW Women’s Center, after staying in various shelters for brief periods of time.
“My options were very limited. I was willing to take on any work to survive and to keep myself off the streets but I was undocumented,” she shared.
Risa is one of hundreds of thousands who traveled to the United States with hopes for a better life. A high school graduate, she left the tumultuous home of her adoptive parents in Maryland with no other place to go and no means to support herself.
“IW was willing to help me regardless of my background,” Risa said. “The people there not only provided me their services but they connected me to other programs in the county that could help me.”
In her first month at the IW Empowerment Center, her case manager referred her to a vocational counselor at one of IW’s partner organizations so she could enroll in a training workshop to acquire skills that would make Risa a competitive job applicant.
“IW provided a positive and healing environment,” she said. “They were polite and respectful. They encouraged me to better myself. And when I doubted my capabilities, they gave me the extra push to apply for jobs.”
After two months at the IW Empowerment Center, Risa moved to the IW Women’s Center while she actively completed job interviews. Through IW’s networks, Risa’s case manager also assisted her in looking for a lawyer, so she could process her permanent residency.
“My priority was to be employed so I could take care of myself.”
With the mission of helping Risa find lasting stability, her case manager later recommended her to a transitional housing program for youth at another IW partner organization, so Risa could successfully shift to permanent housing within 12 to 18 months.
In due time, Risa got a job at a restaurant. The salary allowed her to shoulder the green card application fees.
Her case manager has also been helping her heal emotionally, encouraging Risa to mend the rift with her adoptive parents.
“It is truly amazing how faith others have in you can change your life,” she said. “That was what IW gave me, trust that I could do good for myself and those around me.”
In the next five years, Risa plans to have a place of her own and return to school, so she could have a better future in a country she now calls home.
“I am in a journey,” she spoke of her challenges. “Life will never be easy. There will be ups and downs but it is important to trust that good things will come when you do right and work hard.”
Risa recounts many other lessons from her experience.
“We should always treat people the way we want to be treated because anyone can be homeless,” she said, remembering with fondness the friendships she built with the people at IW.
In providing IW resources and connecting her to other organizations, Risa is starting to make a life for herself in the United States. Please help us continue our integrated service so more of our neighbors like Risa can have a chance to a stable and secure future.
*IW respects and protects the privacy of its clients. Risa Dalos is a pseudonym.